(NaturalNews) A safety review published in the journal Menopause has
confirmed that black cohosh, a natural plant alternative to conventional hormone
replacement therapy (HRT), is safe and will not cause liver damage. Some recent
reports have questioned the dietary supplement's safety, but the new study
confirms that menopausal women can safely use black cohosh to help alleviate hot
flashes, night sweats, and other menopause symptoms.

Led by Dr. Belal Naser from the German-based Schaper & Brummer GmbH & Co.,
manufacturer of a popular brand of black cohosh, the study analyzed 1,100 women
who used either black cohosh, HRT, or a placebo to treat menopause symptoms for
up to six months. Not only did users of black cohosh not experience visible
signs of liver damage, but 62 percent of those taking the supplement that had
indicators of liver problems prior to the study actually saw these indicators
normalize at the completion of the study.

At least eight different studies have shown that black cohosh is just as
effective as synthetic HRT therapies at treating menopause symptoms, but without
the harmful side effects. A 2004 study from the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale,
Ariz., for instance, found that black cohosh reduces weekly hot flash averages
by more than 50 percent. And the American College of Obstetricians and
Gynecologists supports the use of black cohosh for treating menopause symptoms.
(http://www.naturalnews.com/026403_b...[2]).

Conventional HRT drugs, on the other hand, have been shown to increase women's
risk of having a heart attack or stroke, as well as developing breast cancer,
ovarian cancer, blood clots, and asthma. Much of the research claiming synthetic
HRT drugs to be effective is also based on medical fraud, according to some
reports (http://www.naturalnews.com/HRT.html[3]).